Attracting and Creating Habitat for Native Pollinators, Part 1

By Laurie Sheldon

Like juicy strawberries? Thank a pollinator.

Why Care?
Aside from the fact that it's National Pollinator Week, why should you care about pollinators? Assuming that you are probably human if you are reading this, you personally benefit from pollinators in at least three ways. The first of these is physical (corporeal if you want to be really specific). You and I (I'm a human as well) eat and drink to maintain our own energy, maybe for other reasons, but let's stick to the perfunctory stuff. The presence of a pollinator was necessary to create at least one out of every three mouthfuls of food and drink you take. The second reason you should care about pollinators is financial. Insect-pollinated plants bring in 25 BILLION dollars each year. Those figures double when we include indirect products like milk and beef from cattle that fed on alfalfa, oil crops (sunflower and canola) which can be used as biofuel, and fibers like flax and cotton... "the fabric of our lives". The third, and possibly most obvious way that pollinators impact our lives is psychological. Exposure to flowering plants and trees in outdoor settings bolsters our ability to learn and gives us a sense of spiritual and/or emotional well-being. Fine, being outside might make some of you sneeze - get an antihistamine (claritin, benadryl, etc) and get over it already! Just kidding. (Please note I am not an allergist. Any medicinal suggestions should be considered as pure rubbish when they come from my mouth/computer. Consult a professional before taking anything)

Anoles think pollinators are delicious!

Back to pollinators. Humans aren't the only ones on the receiving end of their services. They are ecologically advantageous as well. Pollinators keep our plant communities (re)productive and are indicators of healthy systems. Their assistance with seed production facilitates the production of plants that can stabilize soil (willow) and colonize disturbed habitats (goldenrod). They can bore holes in weakened tree limbs to initiate decay (which is a good thing), are tasty snacks for birds, lizards and spiders, and assist in the creation of the fruits and seeds that both mammals and birds like to nosh on.

Parasitoid pollinator

But wait - there's more... Pollinators can help with pest management! It's true! Syrphid fly larvae, for example, just can't get their fill of aphids. Parasitoid pollinators (tachnid flies, brachonid and ichneumonid wasps) lay their eggs inside plant eaters like caterpillars and aphids. It's like Alien, only better - because it's REAL!

So what's the difference between native and non-native pollinators? Isn't a half dozen of one as good as six of the other? In one word: NO. Non-native pollinators may use up resources intended for native pollinators without contributing to the pollination process. For example, a new hawkmoth species was brought into the western U.S. with the intention of using it in I.P.M. (Integrated Pest Management). The goal was for its caterpillars to eat off a rather invasive type of spurge. As it turns out, its adult form has a proboscis (tongue) long enough to nectar on a Platanthera species of orchid without bumping into the orchid’s pollinia, whereby reducing its incidence of pollination and seed set. That's a big deal - particularly when the orchid species in question is dwindling. Consider this as a prelude. I'll elaborate on the native and non-native pollinators in a bit, so sit tight!

Pollination

Equipment for pollination

Perhaps before going any further it would be good to briefly review the pollination process. How does pollination work in flowering plants? Essentially, pollination is fertilization, so we have male and female parts that work together to fertilize a seed. The female parts are collectively called the pistil, and contain a sticky or feathery end called a stigma, a style, which is basically a tube, and ovaries. The male parts are collectively called the stamen, which is easy to remember if you notice the word “men” in there. These consist of the anther, which contains the pollen, and the filament. Not all flowers have both male and female parts. Those that DO are referred to as either bisexual or perfect. Although some plants can self-pollinate, most require cross pollination, which is the movement of pollen among flowers on different plants. This results in a mixing of genetic material which produces successive generations of more robust plants.

Odor, color, and nectar guides

Pollination Syndromes
Pollination syndromes are a basic set of characteristics that you can take into consideration when trying to discern what a particular flower’s pollen vector might be. These include:
Odor -  flies are drawn to the smell of rotting meat, so it makes sense that Virginia snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria) is pollinated by flies, as it has a scent that has little potential in the perfume trade
Nectar guides - these are markings on a flower that show a pollinator the way to its nectar. To insects like bees, these may appear to glow.
Color - Not all pollinators can see or smell the same things. Bees can distinguish only four different colors in the visible spectrum: yellow, blue-green, blue, and ultraviolet (which we humans can't see). They are red-blind. It follows that most red flowers are pollinated by either hummingbirds or butterflies.
Fragrance - Although it is the subject of debate, many scientists have confirmed that most birds are unable to smell. As such, hummingbird-pollinated plants generally have little fragrance.
Amount of nectar/pollen - Pollinators aren’t just pollinating to be nice; they’re searching for food, either in the form of nectar, a carbohydrate, or as pollen, a protein. Plants that are wind pollinated have no need to create nectar or produce showy flowers... these activities would be a waste of precious energy. For this reason, wind-pollinated flowers are usually pale green or brown, loaded with pollen, and nectarless.
Shape - the shape of a flower and position of its nectaries should fit its pollinator’s pollinating apparatus. This means tubular for hummingbirds, relatively shallow for bees, and with a spur for butterflies and moths with a long proboscis.
Time of day open - If there’s one thing that probably most of us have seen, a light turned on outside at night attracts moths. this is because they are nocturnal creatures. At night, white is the most visible color flower. Flowers that are fragrant and open at night like moonflower are usually pollinated by moths.

This chart shows the standard pollinator syndromes, although, as most of us are aware, few things in nature are so cut and dry. It's sometimes right, and sometimes wrong, but it gives us at least some sort of foundation for understanding what the various pollinators are attracted to.

Pollinator Life Cycles
Creating habitat for pollinators means much more than knowing which color flowers a given insect is attracted to. It involves knowing the life span and understanding the forage and shelter needs of each individual pollinator at various stages of life.We will delve into that subject (and more) in part 2 of this blog, so stay tuned!

Stop. Hammer Time!

By Laurie Sheldon

The Man, the Myth, the Legend
Knowledgeable, respected, boyish and charming, he sported a tropical short-sleeved shirt, pulled his long hair into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, and delivered the opening presentation on day two of the 33rd Annual F.N.P.S. Conference, held in Jacksonville this past May. His name is Roger Hammer, and he's got swagger. He began by admitting to being pleasantly surprised with his second visit to the area; the conditions under which he'd previously been in our neck of the woods were undeniably less favorable. Then twenty-something, he'd been out surfing in his hometown of Cocoa Beach when his mother flagged him down. "You have a letter from the President," she exclaimed, obviously very excited to have her son tear it open. It was a draft card, and off to Jax he went. He moved to Homestead after serving and became a naturalist with the Miami-Dade Parks Department, where, among other things, he encouraged a generation of young people to get out and explore Florida's natural areas. Like a rockstar, he is continually approached by those youths, now grown-ups with children of their own, told of the profound influence he had on their lives, and the effort they each have put into providing their kids with similar outdoor experiences.

Hammer sharing his expertise with the staff at Big Cypress Preserve.
He spent many years as an eco-camp counselor at Castellow Hammock Nature Center.

Great Floridians
To tie into the conference theme, "Celebrating 'La Florida,' the Land of Flowers," Hammer briefly referenced the state's list of designated "Great Floridians," to which Ponce De Leon (responsible for naming the state) was recently added. His description of the explorer's "accomplishments"  left no one guessing as to whether he felt that the designation was justified. (For a detailed description of the Ponce De Leon story, please see the "Executive Summary" at the top of our last blog.) He came prepared with a few comical props for levity, including a plastic morion and an arrow headband (see photo below). Among the other "Great Floridians," Hammer recognized Henry Flagler as the gentleman responsible for "facilitating the great Yankee migration into this state," and Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, the conservation pioneer/voice of the Everglades (and one of his personal friends).

A character and showman, Hammer's quick costume changes gave his presentation a little punch.

He met Mrs. Douglas at age 38, when the snappy woman (then in her late 90s) presented him with the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas award. She subsequently invited him to visit her at her home in Coconut Grove. Upon arrival, she asked him if he wanted a drink. He said, “I’ll have whatever you’re having.” She brought out 2 shot glasses of J & B whiskey, and proceeded to drink him under the table.

Great Florida
He segued into the crux of his presentation without skipping a beat. Aside from the patrons at the Garden of Eden, a rooftop clothing-optional bar in Key West, Hammer noted that Florida's endemic* and near-endemic species are truly some of the most inspiring individuals borne within its boundaries. Despite their significant contributions to this state, sadly, they are absent from the lengthy roster of official "Great Floridians." As such, Hammer forged their names onto his own list of Florida greats, and began, one by one, to introduce his favorites... (The following represents just a portion of the species Hammer presented; please refer to this link for the complete list).

Dicerandra: Lamiaceae; 8 endemic species, including D. christmanii, D. cornutissima, D. densiflora, D. frutescens, D. immaculata var. immaculata, D. immaculata var. savannarum, D. modesta, and D. thinicola.

Distribution of endemic Dicerandra species; image shown: D. frutescens. (scrub balm)

Callisia ornata: Commeliniaceae

Callisia ornata (Florida scrub roseling) distribution.

Berlandiera subacaulis: Asteraceae

Berlandiera subacaulis (Florida greeneyes) distribution.

Helianthus debilis ssp. debilis: Asteraceae

Helianthus debilis ssp. debilis (east coast dune sunflower) distrubution.

 Chromolaena frustrata: Asteraceae

Chromolaena frustrata (Cape Sable thoroughwort )distribution.

Liatris: Asteraceae; 4 endemic species, including L. gholsonii, L. ohlingerae, L. provincialis and L. savannensis

Distribution of all endemic Liatris species; image shown: L. ohlingerae (scrub blazing-star)

Phoebanthus tenuifolius: Asteraceae

Phoebanthus tenuifolius (pineland false sunflower) distribution

Dalea carthagenensis var. floridana: Fabaceae

Dalea carthagenensis var. floridana (Florida prairieclover) distribution.

Lantana depressa: Verbenaceae

Lantana depressa (rockland shrubverbena) distribution

Chamaesyce deltoidea: Euphorbiaceae; 3 endemic subspecies, including deltoidea, pinetorum, and serpyllum

Distribution of the 3 endemic subspecies of Chamaesyce deltoidea;
image shown: C. deltoidea ssp. pinetorum (pineland sandmat)

Jacquemontia: Convolvulaceae; 2 endemic species, including J. curtisii and J. reclinata

Distribution of all endemic Jacquemontia species; image shown: J. reclinata (beach clustervine)

Linum: Linaceae; 3 endemic species, including L. arenicola, L. carteri var. carteri, and L. carteri var. smallii

Distribution of all endemic Linum species; image shown: L. carteri var. smallii (Small's flax)

Ruellia succulenta: Acanthaceae

Ruellia succulenta (thickleaf wild petunia) distribution

Justicia crassifolia: Acanthaceae

Justicia crassifolia (thickleaf waterwillow) distribution

Harperocallis flava: Tofieldiaceae

Harperocallis flava (Harper's beauty) distribution

Polygala rugelii: Polygalaceae

Polygala rugelii (yellow milkwort) distribution

Lobelia feayana: Campanulaceae

Lobelia feayana (bay lobelia) distribution

Hymenocallis palmeri: Amaryllidaceae

Hymenocallis palmeri (alligator lily) distribution

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*Native to a specific region or environment and not occurring naturally anywhere else.

Ponce De Leon, Celebrating La Florida, Jim Draper and the Feast of Flowers

By Laurie Sheldon

Ponce De Leon, the Executive Summary

Image from Ponce De Leon by Wyatt Blasingame

Ponce De Leon did not return to Spain after sailing on Christopher Columbus' second expedition to the Americas (1493). He chose to stay in what is now called the Dominican Republic, where he first heard that a neighboring island (present-day Puerto Rico) had a good bit of gold. He took the island using brute force against the natives, claimed it as Spain's, and became its governor. He was just getting warmed up.

In 1513 he sailed northwest with a 200-man, 3-galleon crew from Puerto Rico, hoping to find and conquer Bimini, a Bahamian island purported to contain riches and a legendary spring that gave people eternal life and health. After stopping in Grand Turk and San Salvador, the men caught sight of a low, flat stretch of land. It was Easter, April 2nd, "Pascua Florida," a Spanish reference to the holiday as a combination of both religious and natural significance (the resurrection of Christ and the beginning of spring/the season of flowering). In English, this translates as the "Feast of Flowers".  Ponce claimed the land for Spain and named it "La Florida". It is reported that when they went ashore they knew they had not reached Bimini (which was rumored to be inhabited by Indians) because they found no indications of village life.

Ponce's men meet the Calusa, from Dan Harmon's Juan
Ponce De Leon and the Search for the Fountain of Youth

Less than week later, the men shipped off and encountered the powerful current known as the Gulf Stream near Cape Canaveral (translated as the "cape of currents"). They sailed around the tip of the peninsula and up the west coast a touch, where they got into a riff with the native Calusa tribe. The men left shortly thereafter, and eventually made their way back to Puerto Rico.

Still determined to find Bimini and the treasure it contained, Ponce went back to Spain and got financial backing from the king to settle and govern the "islands" of Florida and Bimini. King Ferdinand gave it the thumbs up and even knighted Ponce, which reinforced the conquistador's lust for land and power. Then Ferdinand keeled over. This delayed Ponce's return to the Caribbean for several years, and made him antsy because he knew that other people had their eyes on these "islands" and would jump his claim if the territory remained unsettled.

In 1521, Ponce lead a group of 200-men, along with horses livestock and tools to work the land, back up the west coast of Florida. The Calusa had not softened over the years, and fired a barrage of arrows at the would-be settlers when they went inland for fresh water. Many of the men were hit, including Ponce, who took an arrow in his thigh. The mission (apparently a bad idea) was quickly aborted. The men jumped/limped/crawled back on board and headed for Cuba, where Ponce eventually died as a result of his wound.

Note the carefully selected words on the promotional
poster I designed early in the conference planning process.

Celebrating La Florida

Fast forward 500 years from that fated Easter day when Ponce set foot on the peninsula we now call home. For the benefit of the mathematically challenged, I should point out that would be approximately two months ago. All year long, there have been activities across the state of Florida that call attention to this "anniversary" of sorts. And let's face it - for a country that didn't get the democratic ball rolling until 237 years ago, 500 years sounds like a very big deal. So, keeping that in mind, my chapter (Ixia) had the honor of hosting this year's conference amid all of the "500 year" hoopla, and, not unlike any well-planned bar-mitzvah, we chose a theme: Celebrating La Florida. I thought it was vague enough to escape criticism while remaining topical and historically relevant, but, for the first time ever, I was wrong. Despite my insistence that by "Celebrating La Florida" we are honoring all that this state contained when it was named (i.e. prior to European footfall) I was personally accused of patting murderers on the back and praising Ponce De Leon for what should be considered to be "shameful moments in history." Nothing could be farther from my intentions (or the intentions of my chapter and the organization as a whole). So, once more, for the record books, our conference was in no way, shape, or form, a grand salute to the entourage responsible for decimating native populations. It was about looking back, trying to learn from, avoid repeating, and, whenever possible, correcting the mistakes of those who were here before us. Further, it was about recognizing that, after 500 years, natives - endemics in particular - are what continue to make Florida so special.

Jim Draper and the Feast of Flowers

The conference opened with a presentation by Jim Draper, who eloquently reiterated that message both with words and on canvas. He began by defining himself in terms of the environments that critically shaped his relationship with the natural world. Born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, the rural town with a population of 6,000, Draper's childhood was spent outdoors, working or eating in/from his family's gardens, or learning about timber management and dogwood trees from his aunt. Blessed with artistic skills, he went on to study art while working part-time in the landscape industry. He continued to do landscape work after graduating, but became increasingly uneasy with the institutional, exotic landscapes he was charged with installing. Eventually, he opened his own company and designed with specimens which seemed to thrive without assistance. He looked to cemeteries and natural areas for guidance with plant selection, and wanted to communicate through the landscape. Ultimately, he realized that his message would be more effective as expressed with a paintbrush instead of a shovel, so he moved to Jacksonville and turned to a career as an artist.

Not unlike the theme of our conference, Draper’s most recent project recognizes the naming of Florida 500 years ago. His paintings celebrate the state’s native flora, fauna, and the natural systems in which they exist. They are scaled to be imposing on the loftiest of viewers, and so life-like that they practically breathe. But beyond their “eye candy” is a narrative that is equally impressive. Through the project’s title, Feast of Flowers, Draper links the notorious Spanish land-grab with present-day issues of consumption/consumerism and the western idea of eating everything one can get their hands on. Ponce de Leon’s role is that of the anti-hero - a metaphor for man’s subconscious need to possess. Despite the dark undertone of this concept, he presented his paintings sans finger-shaking and direct accusations. To the contrary, Draper’s message, shared in vibrant, rich hues, was for each of us to consider nature - both our own and that of our surroundings - and to understand the relationship of one to the other.

I had seen Jim’s paintings on several occasions but it was not until I heard him speak that I recognized the spiritual element to his work. The first of his slides showed a triptych: the left canvas, entitled Small Passion,  appeared draped in Passiflora incarnata, the center canvas, entitled Nana, featured the tallest dune in Florida, and the right canvas, entitled Muscadine, was crisscrossed in the heart-shaped leaves of Vitis rotundifolia. He began by describing the passionvine as a host, giving its own life to give life to others. From there, I saw the dune as both altar and protector, the grapes as wine - a symbol of the Christian Eucharist, the Jewish Kiddush, and in Greek and Roman mythology. Suddenly these were much more than paintings. He flipped to a painting entitled Tree Snail of Liguus fasciatus, a species limited to southernmost Florida which he’d seen in a hardwood hammock in the Everglades. 1.5 million acres, and he’s focused on a creature that rarely measures more than 2.5” long. Draper’s was scaled to 6’ tall. I seemed slight in comparison. “You have to get into the ditches,” he insisted, “look up, down, and all around you” to truly experience Florida. “All creatures, large and small,” I thought to myself, and Draper continued.

It's probably no coincidence that Draper chose to paint a native vine whose mystique is connected to a spiritual icon. Legend links the 10 petals of this flower to the Apostles, its halo of filaments as Christ's crown of thorns, 3 secondary bracts as the holy trinity and 3 stigmas as Christ and 2 thieves on Calvary. This image was used as our conference logo.

A few slides later: Buttonbush, a native that grows where the damp ground sinks beneath one’s feet, painted with its luminescent other-worldly orb of a flower plotted dead center on the 4’x4’ canvas. Contrasted against the deep greens of its foliage in its favored low-light setting, it looked like an earth-bound star. And he went on. Slide after slide, I saw through his eyes… turkey vultures, wading in Silver Glen Springs, where the sand boils and the clear water sparkles (the painting’s title: Fountain of Youth).  Suwannee River: its leaning cypress trees like human silhouettes. Gulf Sturgeon: leaping, once pushed to the brink of extinction.

While conceding that we cannot return to the past, Draper emphasized the importance of respecting the identity of the landscape and its indigenous species. He pushed beyond the binomial nomenclature that so many of us seem fixed on, and showcased the divine in Florida’s native plants, animals and wild places. He is to Florida what Thoreau was to Walden, and Muir to California’s redwoods, and, thankfully, I will never look at La Florida the same way again.

F.N.P.S. 2013 Landscape Award Winners

Thank you to everyone who took the time to apply for a Landscape Award this year. By going native, we ALL win. Congratulations to the following award recipients:

Page Field Aviation Terminal, Lee County
FNPS Landscape Award of Merit
     Designed to blend with the Southwest Florida environment, this new aviation terminal opened for business in August of 2011. Airports typically do not fit in with a community setting so an important part of this project was design it to blend in with the urban setting and enhance the aesthetics of the airfield, while still enabling safety and aviation protocol. Choosing the landscape plant materials for an airport is challenging because the plants and trees should not attract birds or other wildlife that could interfere with aircraft. This is the opposite of why we typically plant native landscapes. The challenge was to choose native palms and trees, shrubs and perennials that not only added to the beauty of the site, but also don’t attract birds or insects. Additionally, Lee County regulations require that 50% of the plants be native to Southwest Florida. This project far exceeded the required percentage and contained 84% native species. The design incorporated 12 different native tree species and 14 different native shrubs as part of two wet retention ponds and an entrance drive.  This is a unique and exemplary aviation landscape in Florida.

One of the landscape challenges at Page Aviation Airfield (pictured above and below) was
to find natives that would not attract birds or other wildlife that could interfere with aircraft.

Cowie Residence, Brevard County
F.N.P.S. Landscape Award of Merit
     Located six miles west of the Indian River Lagoon, this beautifully detailed landscape was once a monoculture of non-native, chemically dependent plants. Today these award winners have achieved their goal of having a landscape that attracts wildlife, creates privacy, adds to the ecology of the community and one that stands out with curb appeal.
     Their landscape contains live oak, Sabal palmetto, beautyberry, wild coffee, Fakahatchee grass, sunshine mimosa, pineland heliotrope, Verbena tampensis, Senna ligustrina, and firebush. Their native plants have provided resources for pollinators and food, habitat and shelter for birds and butterflies.
     The site has been featured in the Florida Association of Native Nurseries (F.A.N.N.) catalog, used as a demonstration garden by the Conradina chapter of F.N.P.S., included in a documentary film by the Brevard Museum of Arts and Sciences, and appeared as the centerfold in the Guide for Real Florida Gardeners.

Curb appeal, wildlife, privacy, and eco-friendliness - the Cowie residence
(pictured above and below) achieves all of these goals and more

Beaupre-Heitzman Residence, Pinellas County
F.N.P.S. Landscape Award of Excellence
     As a typical suburban subdivision property, the existing landscape comprised a monoculture of lawn sod and non-native foundation shrubs. After the removal of the non-natives, the owners' objectives were to create a screen for some “outdoor” rooms, ameliorate noise from the adjacent street and effectively layer tall to low plantings to create habitat for a variety of species.
     After several years of planning and planting, the landscape now consists of many native species including sabal palms, sea grapes, saw palmetto, gumbo limbo, red cedar and slash pine. Understory plantings contain myrsine, marlberry, snowberry, beach sunflower, varnishleaf, wild coffee, porter plant and beautyberry.
     This home landscape has been featured in the Tampa Bay Times and on local landscape tours. Further, it was awarded "Home of the Year" from the City of St Petersburg.

The Beaupre-Heitzman residential landscape design (pictured above and below) effectively
creates outdoor "rooms" and blends the man-made and natural environment through the use
of native plantings and hardscape that reflect the owners' keen sense of proportion and scale.

Royal Grove, Residence of David & Louise King, Dade County
FNPS Landscape Award of Excellence
     Royal Grove is located at the edge of Everglades National Park not far from Taylor Slough where the owners are Park Naturalists. The land had been previously farmed in row crops and was bare soil when the property was purchased. The design objective was not to restore any one plant community but, rather, to establish an arboretum of native plants that would evolve into a natural landscape and attract/feed a diversity of wildlife. Plantings include wild coffee, coontie, live oaks, satinleafs, cherry trees, persimmon, royal palms and crabwood trees. 
     The first materials planted were the large tree species followed by understory trees and shrubs, then oak hammocks. A pond area was created and trails were established over time as the vegetation grew. Eventually, elevated boardwalks were built through the north hammock and epiphyte species were added.
     This property contains seven species of native trees that have been recognized as "National Champions" on the American Forests’ List of Big Trees. These include Florida licaria, pale lidflower, cinnecord, Florida nectandra, boxleaf stopper, Florida fiddlewood, and myrtle-of-the-river. Their wingleaf soapberry is the Florida Champion.

Royal Grove (above) is the home of David and Loiuse King, both of whom are Park Naturalists.

Linear features including an elevated boardwalk (above) and an allee of trees (below)
challenge the notion that native landscapes are unkempt, informal spaces.

The pond they created (pictured above and below) incorporates both marginal and
aquatic native plantings, which give it softer edges and a more naturalistic form.

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Posted  and edited by Laurie Sheldon
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Are you interested in becoming a part of the Landscape Award Committee, which examines images, site documentation, and deploys local judges to visit qualifying contenders? E-mail Karina Veaudry to learn more about Committee member requirements.

Live blogging from the conference: Saturday

Saturday at the conference: 

FNPS held its annual membership meeting, winners of the plant ID contest were announced, and Palmetto awards were presented. Then everyone turned out for keynote speaker Roger Hammer.

Saturday keynote speaker Roger Hammer entertained a full house.

His theme was "La Florida" so he showed us how
Ponce deLeon probably appeared here.

He also had wonderful slides of some of the flowers
that would have inspired the name.

We had many great speakers...

Bill Berthet talked about rare butterflies of NE Florida. He also led one of the field trips.

Andrea Delong-Amaya talked to us about the cool projects at the Ladybird John Center in Texas. They've been created innovative venues for kids including this Stumpery and bird nests that kids can play in.

Lunch Break

Many attendees spent lunchtime out on the back deck: the pavilion.

Roger signed his books along with other authors at lunch time out on the pavilion.

Some movers and shakers for FNPS.

Afternoon sessions:

The afternoon presentations included the special homeowners' workshop.

Ixia members and landscape architects, Laurie Sheldon and Jake Ingram, presented the workshop
o a group of more than 60 participants. Many of them bought native plants from our vendors to get started right away.

The homeowners workshop included landscaping principles and personal
experience with natives in your yard. Hint: They grow!

The silent auction room was busy as the bidding time drew close.

Linda Schneider won the quilt raffle.

FNPS president, Steve Woodmansee, won the kayak raffle.
REI donated this item to the conference.

The Saturday Evening Social

The committee arranged for a Low Country boil in the Dolphin Plaza located in Hanna Park, which includes miles of Atlantic Ocean Beach. The food was great and so was the company.

Dunes next to the Dolphin Plaza, the location of our Saturday evening social.

Our performers at the Saturday evening social: Bella Voce.

We were treated to a wonderful selection of 16th century Spanish pieces to complement the conference theme: "La Florida"

The dune vegetation included some windswept magnolia trees.

Magnolia grandiflora

And so another conference ends...

People were off on field trips this morning to conclude the 2013 conference. Thanks to everyone who came. You made it fun for all of us on the committee.

The organizers of the 2014 conference were in attendance and were taking notes and soaking in some of our experiences. It will be hosted by the Coccoloba Chapter in Ft. Myers at the Florida Gulf Coast University from May 15 - 18, 2014. See y'all there!

More detailed summaries of some of the presentations will be posted here in the next few weeks.

Photos and text posted by Ginny Stibolt.